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Commercial Writing

A few weeks ago, I bought a course on commercial writing. No, this isn't the act of "writing commercials" but rather learning how to create business oriented sales materials.

Some well known examples of such materials are: credit card mailings, Publisher's Clearing House, stock reports, and "get rich quick" schemes.

A professional commercial writer can either work freelance, or for an agency. However, working for an agency is normally very limiting, both in money and in independence. There appears to be tremendous call for commercial writers who can put together good, clear, persuasive letters.

Once a person is well established, he or she can earn more than $10,000 per letter. It is not at all uncommon for a writer to earn $2,000 to $3,000 per letter, starting out.

These letters are used in all sorts of industries. From what I can see, the largest and most desperate industry is the non-profits. That is, such organizations as the Red Cross, the ASPCA, and various activists organizations are always seeking responses in various ways, whether it is for donations or for people to take some sort of action (such as contacting a government official).

Just think, every piece of junk mail that you receive was written by someone, and that someone got paid to write it.

The course that I am doing includes not only a lot of solid, down-to-earth advice on how to put such letters and packages together, but also has a lot of information about how to make contacts with organizations that will hire you, how to set your fees, and how to sell yourself to prospective clients. There are also related courses in travel writing (apparently a VERY hot business), resume writing, and graphic layout for direct mail.

You can find out more by visiting https://www.awaionline.com/
(Beware - this is a VERY commercial site. However, it does have a wealth of information on writing for the direct response market, as well as many other markets.)

BTW, this type of writing is normally identified as copywriting, because when you do this, you are writing advertising copy.

Writing Commercial

I read your post and was intrigued, but when I checked out the website it all seemed too good to be true.

I would be interested to know how you get on with the course, and (when you start making money) how much you earn from commercial writing.

Can you tell us how much the course cost? And what you intend to achieve from it?

Do you think the course would be useful to someone living in the UK? Do you need direct contact with clients or can it all be done by phone or email?

Commercial Writing UFO & Writing Art Education Sciences

I spent quite some time at the referenced website, Nighthawk. You can tell that they know how to do what they are teaching -- unless, of course, they've hired someone to market their courses for them~! It's a very interesting concept, and one that I had never thought of as a home-based business. Something I will ponder for quite some time. As mike said, let us know you're doing with it

Writing Commercial

The information in the course is excellent. I read a great book by Bob Bly many years ago about commercial copywriting, and was intrigued by it then, but I was in the USAF at the time, and expected to stay there. I did not pursue it then.

The course is about $500. As I said, the information is excellent. I am moving slowly, but that is normal for me when studying. There are many testimonials of students who have started making money from it while still working on the course.

I think you could do very well in the UK. You wouldn't get as much per assignment as you would in the US, but that is normal in the UK as well. I don't know how much direct marketing there is in the UK, and don't remember much about such things from when I lived there 20+ years ago.

One way that I have seen that people become successful quickly is to receive a direct respons piece in the mail, see some problems with it in things that they have learned in the course, and written a letter to the company that sent the piece, outlining ways that the piece could be made more effective.

BTW, that whole website is built on the things that are taught in the course.

Writing Commercial

This is all very interesting.

I have "googled" and looked at a few other websites. Some make similar claims to the one you mentioned. Others are more circumspect.

However, I am sufficiently intrigued to look into it further. I am a bit wary of investing a lot of money in a course, as you have done, but I will buy a book or two about copywriting and give it a go. And if I decide to take it further, there are several similar courses in the UK.

I do need to make some extra money at the moment - bought a new house - and I was considering proofreading. I think copywriting may be a more interesting, creative way of raising the cash.

Commercial Writing

If you are going to buy some books about it, buy Bob Bly's works. He is almost the Grand Master of the industry.

As for the investment, it works out to about $40 per month for a year. Most of spend more than that on pop, coffee, or cigarretes. Those of us who don't usually spend a lot more on rental videos or cable TV, or novels!

Edited: Nighthawk on 11th Jun, 2005 - 3:05pm

Commercial Writing

I had a look on Amazon for Bob Bly's books. They look pretty good, but first I'll buy a book written specifically for the UK market.

Commercial Writing Sciences Education Art Writing & UFO

Not limited to Commercial Writing: Specific articles about different aspects of Advertising, Advertising Made Easy and general Advertising information can be found at: www.international-discussion.net/advertising